Information processing apparatus, image generating apparatus, control methods therefor, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

one or more memories configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:

generate a virtual viewpoint image based on first information about at least one of (i) a position of a viewpoint input from a user through another apparatus and (ii) a direction from the viewpoint input from the user through the another apparatus and based on images from a plurality of image capturing apparatuses; and

transmit, to the another apparatus, the generated virtual viewpoint image and second information for prompting the user to avoid designating a specific viewpoint.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, as the second information, third information about at least one of a position of a viewpoint at which a virtual viewpoint image with a missing object and a direction from the viewpoint in which a virtual viewpoint image with a missing object is generated or fourth information about at least one of a position of a viewpoint at which a virtual viewpoint image with noise is generated and a direction from the viewpoint in which a virtual viewpoint image with noise is generated is transmitted.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual viewpoint image and the second information are transmitted to the another apparatus that displays the virtual viewpoint image and an image based on the second information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a virtual viewpoint image is generated based on a virtual viewpoint that moves along a predetermined path at a predetermined speed.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a virtual viewpoint image is generated based on a virtual viewpoint that moves around a predetermined region.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a virtual viewpoint image is generated based on a virtual viewpoint that moves in accordance with a position of a virtual viewpoint designated by another information processing apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a virtual viewpoint image is generated based on a position of a viewpoint and a direction from a viewpoint automatically, sequentially updated.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to receive input information input by another user, and

wherein the second information for prompting the user to avoid designating the specific viewpoint is transmitted based on the received input information.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:

an instruction is received by the another user to select one of a plurality of modes associated with movement of a virtual viewpoint; and

a virtual viewpoint image is generated based on the selected mode.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modes include

a mode of moving, at a predetermined speed, a virtual viewpoint along a path for observing, from above, an entire region where an object can exist,

a mode of estimating a moving direction of a virtual viewpoint requested by the user and moving the virtual viewpoint in the estimated moving direction,

a mode of setting, as a monitoring target, a preset region where quality of an object readily degrades, and moving a virtual viewpoint around the region at a predetermined speed, and

a mode of moving a virtual viewpoint depending on only an operation by the another user.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein information graphically representing a position of a virtual viewpoint and a direction from the virtual viewpoint corresponding to the generated virtual viewpoint image and a position of a virtual viewpoint and a direction from the virtual viewpoint corresponding to the input information input by the another user are transmitted.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of modes include a mode of detecting, based on a distribution of objects, a smallest region including the objects and moving a virtual viewpoint so as to observe the smallest region from above.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to generate one image by dividing a region where an object can exist into a preset number of regions and combining virtual viewpoint images for observing the respective divided regions from above, and

wherein when performing transmission to the another user, the combined image is transmitted.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the presence/absence of an abnormality in a current virtual viewpoint image is estimated based on a maximum luminance, an average luminance, and a minimum luminance of luminance components in virtual viewpoint images generated from a preset past timing to a current timing, and in a case where the abnormality is estimated, a virtual viewpoint image added with information indicating that the abnormality is estimated is generated.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the second input information includes information indicating that the generated virtual viewpoint image is abnormal.

16. A control method for an information processing apparatus, comprising:

generating a virtual viewpoint image based on first information about at least one of (i) a position of a viewpoint input from a user through another apparatus and (ii) a direction from the viewpoint input from the user through the another apparatus and based on images from a plurality of image capturing apparatuses; and

transmitting, to the another apparatus, the generated virtual viewpoint image and second information for prompting the user to avoid designating a specific viewpoint.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a control method for an information processing apparatus, the control method comprising:

generating a virtual viewpoint image based on first information about at least one of (i) a position of a viewpoint input from a user through another apparatus and (ii) a direction from the viewpoint input from the user through the another apparatus and based on images from a plurality of image capturing apparatuses; and

transmitting, to the another apparatus, the generated virtual viewpoint image and second information for prompting the user to avoid designating a specific viewpoint.